Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| May 11, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| May 6, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| Feb. 24, 2010 | National | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| Jan. 28, 2010 | National | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| Dec. 11, 2009 | National | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| March 5, 2009 | National | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
| Jan. 22, 2009 | National | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| Jan. 21, 2009 | National | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| Jan. 15, 2009 | National | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| Oct. 3, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
| Oct. 1, 2008 | National | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| Sept. 29, 2008 | National | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
| Sept. 23, 2008 | National | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| June 26, 2008 | National | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
| June 25, 2008 | National | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| Nov. 15, 2007 | National | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
| July 12, 2006 | National | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
| March 14, 2006 | National | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| April 14, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
| March 10, 2005 | National | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| March 18, 2004 | National | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
| Jan. 28, 2004 | National | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| July 15, 2002 | National | S 2673 | Accounting Industry Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
| Feb. 2, 2000 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| July 1, 1999 | National | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
| May 5, 1999 | National | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
| Oct. 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | H Amdt 621 | Enhance Banking Flexibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (140 - 281) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
| May 13, 1998 | National | HR 10 | Financial Services Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (214 - 213) |
| Dec. 22, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| Dec. 20, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
| Dec. 6, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
| Dec. 5, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
| June 28, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| March 8, 1995 | National | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 99) |
| Nov. 23, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (235 - 191) |
| Nov. 20, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 45) |
| May 13, 1993 | National | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 35) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3962 | Home Loan Regulation Modifications | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3816 | Derivatives Regulation Modifications | Amendment Rejected - Senate (39 - 59) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3938 | Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac | Amendment Adopted - Senate (63 - 36) |
| 5/11 | S Amdt 3760 | Federal Reserve Audit | Amendment Rejected - Senate (37 - 62) |
| 5/06 | S Amdt 3826 | Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC | Amendment Rejected - Senate (38 - 61) |
| 2/24 | HR 2847 | Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (70 - 28) |
| 1/28 | PN 959 | Ben S. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman | Nomination Confirmed - Senate (70 - 30) |
| 12/11 | HR 4173 | Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | Bill Passed - House (223 - 202) |
| 3/05 | HR 1106 | Mortgage Restructuring In Bankruptcy | Bill Passed - House (234 - 191) |
| 1/22 | H J Res 3 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Passed - House (270 - 155) |
| 1/21 | HR 384 | Oversight of the Troubled Asset Relief Program | Bill Passed - House (260 - 166) |
| 1/15 | S J Res 5 | Releasing Funds for Economic Stabilization Act | Joint Resolution Failed - Senate (42 - 52) |
| 10/03 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (263 - 171) |
| 10/01 | HR 1424 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority and Tax Law Amendments | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 9/29 | HR 3997 | Financial Asset Purchase Authority | Concurrence Vote Failed - House (205 - 228) |
| 9/23 | HR 5244 | Credit Card Regulations | Bill Passed - House (312 - 112) |
| 6/26 | HR 6377 | Energy Futures Trading | Bill Passed - House (402 - 19) |
| 6/25 | S Amdt 4983 | Housing Foreclosure Assistance Programs | Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 16) |
| 11/15 | HR 3915 | Mortgage Reform and Anti-Subprime Lending Act | Bill Passed - House (291 - 127) |
| 7/12 | HR 2990 | Credit Rating Agency Duopoly Relief Act | Bill Passed - House (255 - 166) |
| 3/14 | S Amdt 3013 | Reinstate Pay-As-You-Go through 2011 Amendment | Amendment Rejected - Senate (50 - 50) |
| 4/14 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - House (302 - 126) |
| 3/10 | S 256 | Bankruptcy Reform Bill | Bill Passed - Senate (74 - 25) |
| 3/18 | HR 1375 | Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2004 | Bill Passed - House (392 - 25) |
| 1/28 | S 1920 | Farmer Bankruptcy Bill | Bill Passed - House (265 - 99) |
| 7/15 | S 2673 | Accounting Industry Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0) |
| 2/02 | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (83 - 14) |
| 7/01 | HR 10 | Financial Modernization bill | Bill Passed - House (343 - 86) |
| 5/05 | HR 833 | Bankruptcy Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (313 - 108) |
| 10/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Conference Report Adopted - House (319 - 82) |
| 5/13 | H Amdt 621 | Enhance Banking Flexibility Amendment | Amendment Rejected - House (140 - 281) |
| 5/13 | S 1260 | Securities Litigation | Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21) |
| 5/13 | HR 10 | Financial Services Act of 1998 | Bill Passed - House (214 - 213) |
| 12/22 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30) |
| 12/20 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Veto Override Passed - House (319 - 100) |
| 12/06 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - House (320 - 102) |
| 12/05 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30) |
| 6/28 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30) |
| 3/08 | HR 1058 | Legal Reform bill | Bill Passed - House (325 - 99) |
| 11/23 | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - House (235 - 191) |
| 11/20 | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Conference Report Adopted - Senate (54 - 45) |
| 5/13 | S 714 | Resolution Trust Corporation Completion Act | Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 35) |